May 29th, 2012

It is 1:10 am on Monday morning and I can still look across the city where God has called us. The light hovers at dusk and gives us plenty of vitamin D. 

Our language class has dominated our days and nights since it started. I have learned if I am going to be a good student of language then I must spend more of my days and nights practicing. English is spoken so fluently among the country that it is very easy to communicate. This can be a barrier to learning, however. 

One of my favorite language stories over the last month came when I took Cami and Ben to the pool. I decided to test out my language skills and used the words for “two children” when purchasing tickets. I motioned to myself, assuming the lady taking my debit card would understand I wanted entrance as well. In Iceland when you pay with a debit or credit card most places ask if you want a receipt. I had that in mind when the lady used a phrase I was familiar with from language school. The problem was I was not in school, I was at the pool. So, the phrase she used which means “and you?” was processed in my mind as “do you want a receipt?” I replied with “nei, takk” or no thanks. After the lady gave Cami and Ben their tickets I asked in English, “Where is mine?” She replied in English, “I asked you if you wanted one and you said no thanks.” We laughed and she gave me a free entrance into the pool. A few days later I was at the same pool with Cami and the same woman took our money. I spoke to her in Icelandic and she gave me a smile and a thumbs up. Language learning is as fun as it is humbling. 

From May 10-20 I was back in the States. It was time to get our container ready for shipping. Many thanks to our church family, Stafford Baptist and Pillar churches, for all the help. The twenty foot container was loaded in an hour and fifteen minutes thanks to the generosity of many friends. Over the next fifteen days we will begin our relocation to our home of the next three years. We look forward to creating many sweet memories in our new home. During the time in the States I also met several new people who are praying about how they may be involved with our ministry in Iceland. It is exciting to see God bring more partners together.

On May 22, Ben celebrated his 11th birthday. We are so grateful for God bringing him into our family. Ben’s choice for the perfect birthday dinner was salmon with brownies for dessert. We happen to live in a country that has some really fresh salmon. It was very tasty. Ben got some cool gifts from sisters but his big gift is coming over on the container, a new bike which he says he plans to ride two miles every day. Ben and I played some basketball and ‘around the world’ recently. At the end of the game I shared a thought with Ben to encourage him with basketball and I found it also very appropriate for ministry in Iceland:  “Display Patience, Develop Perseverance, and Take Responsibility.”




Let me ask you to pray about a few things:

1. Pray that our transition to our new home will go well. 
2. Pray for several people who have asked questions about what it means to be a follower of Christ. 
3. Pray for Emmanuel Baptist Church of Iceland that God will strengthen this group of believers. 

Believing God is going to do something great in the northernmost capital of the world, Reykjavik, Iceland!